And while Obama told jokes in his introductions of each of the honorees, only the the British rock foursome drew a tongue-in-cheek warning about White House security.

“These guys also redefined the rock and roll lifestyle. We do not have video of this,” Obama said. “But there was some hotel rooms trashed and mayhem all around. So it's fitting that we’re doing this in a room with windows that are about three inches thick -- and Secret Service all around. So, guys, just settle down. These paintings are valuable.”

All five Kennedy Center honorees, Obama said, redefined American culture in their own way.

“Each of us can remember a moment when the people on this stage touched our lives,” he said. “Maybe they didn’t lead us to become performers ourselves. But maybe they inspired us to see things in a new way, to hear things differently, to discover something within us or to appreciate how much beauty there is in the world.”